Electric tape winding and display device



Aug. 25, 1964 Filed Dec. 6, 1962 T. 8. GRANT ELECTRIC TAPE WINDING AND DISPLAY DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 TOM 8. GRANT INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY g- 25, 1964 v 'r. 5. GRANT 3,145,943

ELECTRIC TAPE WINDING AND DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 6, 1962 s Sheets--Snee't 2 4 FIG.

TOM 8. GRANT lN VEN TOR.

/wgmza ATTORNEY AugQ 1964 T. s. C;RANT 3,145,943

ELECTRIC TAPE WINDING AND DISPLAYDEVICE Fiied Dec. 6, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 TOM 3, GRANT ZNV EN TOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,145,943 ELECTRIC TAPE WINDING AND DISPLAY DEVICE Tom S. Grant, 5801 Waltham, Fort Worth, Tex. Filed Dec. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 242,680 8 Claims. (Cl. 24267.4)

This invention relates to an electric tape winding and display device, .and it concerns more particularly a device for use in scanning and checking selected portions of a continuous record in rolled form in which statistical information is printed on a continuous strip, web, or tape, as in the operation of certain business machines such, for example, as a window posting machine of a type which is commonly used in banks and like institutions and which produces such a continuous record simultaneously with the recording of the same information on ledger cards and in pass books.

The device includes a housing having an inclined, planar top portion providing a work surface, and means including a pair of spools, one of which is driven, for winding and unwinding the tape while at the same time advancing it across said work surface. The device further includes an electric motor acting on one of the spools thru a series of speed reducing gears and a connecting belt, and advantageously may be controlled by a foot operable switch as well as manually.

An important feature of the invention is the drive means including a pair of belts each drivingly connecting the motor to one of the spools whereby the spool is adapted to be rotated and the simple clutch mechanism comprising a lever whereby said belts are selectively tightened to thereby drive one of the spools and to reverse the direction of movement of the tape across the work surface.

Another feature of the invention is the notches in opposite sides of the housing adjacent its ends which provide bearing surfaces for rotative engagement by opposite ends of a pair of central shafts each arranged axially of one of the spools, in frictional engagement therewith, and the spring tensioned means whereby the ends of the shafts are removably secured in engagement with said bearing surfaces. This arrangement facilitates removal and replacement of the spools.

Still another feature of the invention is the cam actuated clutch mechanism on each of the spools, operable in response to torque applied to a central shaft arranged axially of the spool, in frictionally engagement therewith, whereby said clutch mechanism is expanded for frictional engagement with the inner periphery of a preformed roll of tape loosely surrounding the spool upon rotative movement of the spool in one direction only. This arrangement is useful with preformed rolls of tape when it is desired to reverse the direction of movement of the tape across the work surface without completely unwinding the roll and thereafter rewinding it whereby it is wound tightly about the spool.

Another feature of the invention is the elongated spacer bar which is removably positioned along one side of each of the spools, between the spool and a roll of tape being wound thereon, for use independently of said cam actuated clutch mechanism whereby the inner periphery of a roll of tape is spaced apart from the peripheral surface of the spool during the initial rolling thereof to thereby determine the inside diameter of the roll and to permit it to be readily removed from the spool and replaced thereon.

Another feature of the invention is the removable, adjustably positioned end flange on each of the spools and the spring tensioned means for selective engagement with one of several pairs of transverse grooves spaced longitudinally relative to the spool whereby said end flange is removably secured in its adjusted position. This arrangement adapts the spools for use with tapes of selected predetermined Widths.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partly broken away to show the electric motor and the speed reducing gears within the housing, of an electric tape winding and display device embodying the invention, showing the inclined, planar work surface forming a substantial portion of the top of the housing, the adjustable rollers on which the tape is supported intermediate its ends adjacent opposite ends of the work surface for longitudinal movement across said work surface, and the spools adjacent opposite ends of the housing, below said rollers, on which opposite end portions of the tape are wound and unwound, respectively, for selective movement of the tape in opposite directions across said work surface;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing the drive belts and pulleys whereby the spools are rotatively driven from the motor and showing the simple clutch mechanism whereby the direction of rotation of the respective spools is reversed to thereby reverse the direction of movement of the tape across the work surface;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1, showing a notch in one side of the housing adjacent one of its ends providing a bearing surface for rotative engagement by an end portion of a central shaft extending axially thru one of the spools, in frictional engagement therewith, said shaft having a pulley wheel thereon whereby it is driven, and showing the spring tensioned means whereby said end portion of said shaft is removably secured in engagement with said bearing surface;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal view on an enlarged scale of one of the spools on which the tape is wound, showing the fixed end flange and the removable, adjustably positioned end flange, the cam actuated clutch mechanism responsive to rotative movement of said central shaft in one direction only relative to the spool for frictional engagement of the spool with the inner periphery of a preformed roll of tape loosely surrounding the spool for rotative movement of said roll with the spool, and the removable spacer bar extending along one side of the spool for use independently of said clutch mechanism for spacing the inner periphery of a roll of tape, during the initial rolling of the tape upon the spool, a predetermined distance apart from the peripheral surface of the spool to thereby determine the inside diameter of the roll and to permit it to be readily removed from the spool and replaced thereon upon removing the removable, adjustably positioned end flange and the spacer bar therefrom;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 showing the cam actuated clutch mechanism in its retracted position for disengagement with a preformed roll of tape loosely surrounding the spool in the neutral position of the drive means and during the unwinding of the roll, and showing in broken lines a preformed roll of tape operatively positioned on the spool;

FIG. 6 is a View similar to FIG. 5 showing the cam actuated clutch mechanism in its expanded position for frictional engagement with the inner periphery of a preformed roll of tape loosely surrounding the spool; and

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 4 showing the removable, adjustably positioned end flange, the spring tensioned means for selective engagement with one of several pairs of transverse grooves spaced longitudinally relative to the spool whereby said end flange is removably secured in its adjusted position, the elongated spacer bar removably positioned along one side of the spool, the longitudinal d groove for the spacer bar in the peripheral surface of the spool, and the notch for the spacer bar in the inner periphery of said end flange.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the electric tape winding and display device of the invention includes a housing, designated generally by the numeral 1, which is generally rectangular and has two opposite sides 2, a partially open front end 3, a partially open rear end 4, and a planar, upwardly and rearwardly inclined top portion 5 which provides a convenient work surface.

A pair of rollers 6, which are positioned adjacent opposite ends of the work surface 5, extend across the top of the housing 1, between the sides 2, and have reduced end portions which are journaled in bearings 7 provided therefor on the sides 2. The position of one of the bearings 7 on each pair is adjustable vertically, as at 8, FIG. 2, whereby the longitudinal inclination of the respective rollers 6 is adjustable relative to the horizontal plane.

A length of tape 9, shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, is supported intermediate its ends on the rollers 6 for longitudinal movement across the work surface 5 and has its opposite end portions wound on a pair of spools which are positioned adjacent opposite ends of the housing 1, below the rollers 6, for selective movement of the tape 9 in opposite directions across the work surface 5 in response to rotative movement of the spools 10 whereby the tape 9 is wound and unwound thereon.

The spools 10 each have a central shaft 11 arranged axially thereof and extending beyond its ends. The shafts 11 frictionally engage the spools 10 whereby the spools 10 turn with the shafts 11. A pair of pulley wheels 12 are each rigidly connected to one end of a shaft 11 whereby the shaft 11 is driven. The pulley wheels 12 are each connected by one of a pair of V belts 13 to one of a pair of pulley wheels 14 which are mounted on a common shaft 15 whereby they are drivingly connected, thru speed reducing gears 16, to an electric motor 17 positioned within the housing 1.

An upstanding lever 18, which is pivotally connected at 19 to one of the sides 2 above the pulley wheels 14 and between the pulley wheels 12, has a pair of oppositely extending side arms 20, each of which has a roller 21 thereon for engagement with one of the belts 13 whereby pressure is applied to said one of the belts 13 to tighten it upon selective movement of the lever 18 about its pivot 19 in either direction from a neutral position, shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, in which the lever 18 extends vertically, whereby one of the pulley wheels 12 and one of the shafts 11 corresponding to said one of the belts 13 are driven by the motor 17 and the tape 9 is advanced across the work surface 5 in a direction corresponding to the position of the lever 18 in response to rotative movement of the spools 10, one of which is driven as described.

Two pairs of notches 22, which are formed in the sides 2 of the housing 1 adjacent the ends 3, 4 thereof and one of which is shown in FIG. 3, provide bearing surfaces for rotative engagement by corresponding end portions of the shafts 11. Said end portions of the shafts 11 are removably secured in engagement with said hearing surfaces, whereby the spools 10 are rotatably supported on the housing 1, by spring tensioned means, indicated generally by the numeral 23, as hereinafter described.

Referring to FIG. 3, the spring tensioned means 23 includes a pair of angularly bent, elongated fingers 24 which have one of their ends pivotally connected, as at 25, to the adjacent side 2 of the housing 1, in longitudinally inwardly, horizontally spaced relation to the corresponding notch 22 and which extend horizontally, longitudinally of the housing 1, in the direction of the notch 22, above and below it, and have their opposite ends, each of which has a roller 26 thereon, extending beyond the bottom of the notch 22 and turned inwardly whereby the rollers 26 are positioned in opposing relation to each other and in overlying engagement with an end portion of a shaft 11 received in the notch 22 to thereby secure said end portion of the shaft 11 against displacement from the notch 22.

The fingers 24 are biased in opposing relation to each other and in overlying engagment with said end portion of said shaft 11 by a tension spring 27, and are spread apart against the resistance of the spring 27 upon inserting said end portion of said shaft 11 in the notch 22 and removing it therefrom.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, each of the spools 10 has a fixed end flange 28 and a removable, adjustably positioned end flange 29, as hereinafter described. The fixed end flange 28 is rigidly secured to the shaft 11 in spaced apart relation to the corresponding pulley wheel 12. The removable, adjustably positioned end flange 29 is adjustable longitudinally of the spool 10, which it encircles and slidably engages, and has spring tensioned means, indicated generally by the numeral 30, for selective engagement with one of several pairs of transverse grooves 31 spaced longitudinally relative to the spool 10 whereby said end flange 29 is removably secured in its adjusted position.

The transverse grooves 31 of each pair lie in a common plane and extend across opposite sides of the spool 10, in parallel relation to each other. The spring tensioned means 30 includes a pair of bars 32, each engageable with one of the grooves 31 of the spool 10, which have one of their ends pivotally connected to the end flange 23 and have their opposite ends biased toward each other by a tension spring 33 whereby the bars 32 are removably secured in engagement with the corresponding grooves 31.

As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, each of the spools 10 has a cam actuated clutch mechanism, designated generally by the numeral 34, which is responsive to rotative movement of the corresponding shaft 11 in one direction only relative to the spool 10, positioned adjacent one of its ends, between the spool 10 and its fixed end flange 28, for frictional engagement of the spool 10 with the inner perphery of a preformed roll of tape 35, shown in broken lines in FIG. 5, loosely surrounding the spool 10 for rotative movement of said roll 35 with the spool 10.

The cam actuated clutch mechanism 34 consists of a pair of lugs 36 on opposite sides of the shaft 11 which serve as cams for engagement by a pair of cam followers or clutch dogs 37 each consisting of a small lever pivotally connected at one end to the adjacent end of the spool 10. The free ends of the cam followers 37 are swung outwardly in opposite directions about their pivots, as shown in FIG. 6, in response to torque applied to the shaft 11 in one direction only, by engagement of the cam followers 37 with the cams 36, and have knurled surfaces for frictional engagement with the inner periphery of the roll 35.

The spools 10 frictionally engage the shafts 11, and torque is applied to the corresponding spool 10 or shaft 11 to turn it upon rotation of one of the shafts 11 or spools 10 in either direction. Some slippage occurs between the spool 10 and the shaft 11 whereby the shaft 11 is rotated relative to the spool 10, to thereby engage the cam actuated clutch mechanism 34 as described, substantially simultaneously with rotation of the spool 10 with the shaft 11 as torque is applied to the shaft 11 in one direction only.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, a removable spacer bar 33 extends along one side of each of the spools 10 for use independently of the cam actuated mechanism 34 for spacing the inner periphery of a roll of tape (not shown), during the initial rolling of the tape upon the spool 10, a predetermined distance apart from the peripheral surface of the spool 10 to thereby determine the inside diameter of the roll and to permit it to be readily removed from the spool and replaced thereon upon removing the removable, adjustably positioned end flange 29 and the spacer bar 38 therefrom.

The removable spacer bar 38 is received in a longitudinal groove 39 therefor in the exterior surface of the spool 10, and is passed thru a corresponding notch 40 therefor in the inner periphery of the removable, adjustably positioned end flange 29.

The apparatus of the invention further includes manually and foot operable cut off switches and a rheostat for speed control, none of which is shown.

The invention may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

I claim:

1. In a device for use in scanning and checking selected portions of a continuous record in rolled form in which statistical information is printed on a continuous strip, web, or tape, the combination of a housing having two parallel sides, a partially open front end, a partially open rear end, and a planar, upwardly and rearwardly inclined top portion providing a work surface, a pair of rollers extending between the sides of the housing adjacent opposite ends of said work surface for supporting a length of tape intermediate its ends for selective longitudinal movement in either direction across said work surface, a pair of spools each having an end portion of said tape wound thereon and having a central shaft arranged axially thereof, in frictional engagement therewith, and extending beyond its ends, said shafts extending between opposite sides of the housing adjacent its ends, below said rollers, andhaving their end portions removably and rotatably connected, respectively, to the sides of the housing, an electric motor in the housing having speed reducing gears and having a shaft extending transversely thru one side of the housing intermediate its ends, and drive means including clutch means for drivingly connecting the motor shaft selectively to an end portion of one of the first mentioned shafts whereby said first mentioned shafts are adapted to be driven selectively to thereby move the tape across the work surface in either direction as the tape is wound and unwound on the spools, the spools each having a fixed end flange rigidly connected to an end portion of the corresponding shaft and a removable, adjustable end flange surrounding the spool and adjustable longitudinally relative thereto to adapt the spool for use with tapes of selected predetermined widths, and having a plurality of pairs of transverse grooves in its exterior surface, the grooves of each pair lying in a common plane, 'in parallel relation to each other, spring tensioned means on said last mentioned end flange embracing the grooves of one pair in selective, yieldable engagement therewith, a cam actuated clutch mechanism on one of the spools, between said first mentioned end flange and the adjacent end of the spool, for frictional engagement of the spool with the inner periphery of a preformed roll of tape loosely surrounding the spool, said cam actuated clutch mechanism being operable in response to torque applied to the corresponding first mentioned shaft in one direction only and consisting essentially of a pair of cam surfaces on opposite sides of said first mentioned shaft and a pair of cam follower elements each pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the spool and adapted to be urged outwardly in opposite directions in response to rotative movement of said shaft relative to the spool in one direction only, and an elongated spacer bar arranged along one side of one of the spools for engagement with the inner periphery of a roll of tape surrounding the spool, during the initial rolling thereof, to space the inner periphery of said roll apart from the peripheral surface of the spool and to determine the inside diameter of said roll, said spacer bar being removably inserted in a corresponding groove in the spool having a depth less than the width of the spacer bar in a radial direction and having the side thereof opposite said groove straddled by a corresponding notch in the inner periphery of said last mentioned end flange.

2. In a device for use in scanning and checking selected portions of a continuous record'in rolled form in which statistical information is printed on a continuous strip, web, or tape, the combination of a housing having two parallel sides, a partially open front end, a partially open rear end, and a planar, upwardly and rearwardly inclined top portion providing a work surface, a pair of rollers extending between the sides of the housing adjacent opposite ends of said work surface for supporting a length of tape intermediate its ends for selective longitudinal movement in either direction across said work surface, a pair of spools each having an end portion of said tape wound thereon and having a central shaft arranged axially thereof, in frictional engagement therewith, and extending beyond its ends, said shafts extending between opposite sides of the housing adjacent its ends, below said rollers, and having its end portions removably and rotatably connected, respectively, to the sides of the housing, the housing having notches in opposite sides thereof adjacent its ends providing bearing surfaces for engagement by opposite end portions of said first mentioned shafts, spring tensioned means on the sides of the housing embracing opposite end portions of said first mentioned shafts received in said notches, in yieldable engagement therewith, to prevent displacement of said end portions from said bearing surfaces, an electric motor in the housing having speed reducing gears and having a shaft extending transversely thru one side of the housing intermediate its ends, and drive means including clutch means for drivingly connecting the motor shaft selectively to an end portion of one of the first mentioned shafts whereby said first mentioned shafts are adapted to be driven selectively to thereby move the tape across the work surface in either direction as the tape is wound and unwound on the spools.

3. In a device for use in scanning and checking selected portions of a continuous record in rolled form in which statistical information is printed on a continuous strip, web, or tape, the combination of a housing having two parallel sides, a partially open front end, a partially open rear end, and a planar, upwardly and rearwardly inclined top portion providing a work surface, a pair of rollers extending between the sides of the housing adjacent opposite ends of said Work surface for supporting a length of tape intermediate its ends for selective longitudinal movement in either direction across said work surface, a pair of spools each having an end portion of said tape wound thereon and having a central shaft arranged axially thereof, in frictional engagement therewith, and extending beyond its ends, said shafts extending between opposite sides of the housing adjacent its ends, below said rollers, and having its end portions removably and rotatably connected, respectively, to the sides of the housing, an electric motor in the housing having speed reducing gears and having a shaft extending transversely thru one side of the housing intermediate its ends, and drive means including clutch means for drivingly connecting the motor shaft selectively to an end portion of one of the first mentioned shafts whereby said first mentioned shafts are adapted to be driven selectively to thereby move the tape across the work surface in either direction as the tape is wound and unwound on the spools, said drive means consisting essentially of a pulley wheel on an end portion of each of said first mentioned shafts, a pair of pulley wheels on the motor shaft, a pair of belts each loosely connecting one of said first mentioned pulley wheels to one of said last mentioned pulley wheels, and a lever having one of its ends pivotally connected to the adjacent side of the housing above the last mentioned pulley wheels and having oppositely extending side arms each having a roller thereon for selective engagement with one of the belts to apply pressure against it sufficient to tighten it, to thereby drivingly connect the corresponding first mentioned shaft to the motor shaft upon pivotal movement of the lever from a neutral position in which both of said rollers are disengaged from the corresponding belts.

4. In a device for use in scanning and checking selected portions of a continuous record in rolled form in which statistical information is printed 011 a continuous strip, web, or tape, the combination of a housing having two parallel sides, a partially open front end, a partially open rear end, and a planar, upwardly and rearwardly inclined top portion providing a work surface, a pair of rollers extending between the sides of the housing adjacent opposite ends of said work surface for supporting a length of tape intermediate its ends for selective longitudinal movement in either direction across said work surface, a pair of spools each having an end portion of said tape wound thereon and having a central shaft arranged axially thereof, in frictional engagement therewith, and extending beyond its ends, said shafts extending between opposite sides of the housing adjacent its ends, below said rollers, and having its end portions removably and rotatably connected, respectively, to the sides of the housing, an electric motor in the housing having speed reducing gears and having a shaft extending transversely thru one side of the housing intermediate its ends, drive means including clutch means for drivingly connecting the motor shaft selectively to an end portion of one of the first mentioned shafts whereby said first mentioned shafts are adapted to be driven selectively to thereby move the tape across the work surface in either direction as the tape is Wound and unwound on the spools, and a cam actuated clutch mechanism on one of the spools for frictional engagement of the spool with the inner periphery of a preformed roll of tape loosely surrounding the spool, said cam actuated clutch mechanism being operable in response to torque applied to the corresponding first mentioned shaft in one direction only.

5. The structure of claim 4, said cam actuated clutch mechanism consisting essentially of a pair of cam surfaces on opposite sides of said first mentioned shaft and a pair of cam follower elements each pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the spool and adapted to be urged outwardly in opposite directions in response to rotative movement of said shaft relative to the spool in one direction only.

6. In a device for use in scanning and checking selected portions of a continuous record in rolled form in which statistical information is printed on a continuous strip, web, or tape, the combination of a housing having two parallel sides, a partially open front end, a partially open rear end, and a planar, upwardly and rearwardly inclined top portion providing a work surface, a pair of rollers extending between the sides of the housing adjacent opposite ends of said work surface for supporting a length of tape intermediate its ends for selective longitudinal movement in either direction across said work surface, a pair of spools each having an end portion of said tape wound thereon and having a central shaft arranged axially thereof, in frictional engagement therewith, and extending beyond its ends, said shafts extending between opposite sides of the housing adjacent its ends, below said rollers, and having its end portions removably and rotatably connected, respectively, to the sides of the housing, an electric motor in the housing having speed reducing gears and having a shaft extending transversely thru one side of the housing intermediate its ends, drive means including clutch means for drivingly connecting the motor shaft selectively to an end portion of one of the first mentioned shafts whereby said first mentioned shafts are adapted to be driven selectively to thereby move the tape across the work surface in either direction as the tape is wound and unwound on the spools, and an elongated spacer bar arranged along one side of one of the spools for engagement with the inner periphery of a roll of tape surrounding the spool, during the initial rolling thereof, to space the inner periphery of said roll apart from the peripheral surface of the spool and to determine the inside diameter of said roll.

7. In a device for use in scanning and checking selected portions of a continuous record in rolled form in which statistical information is printed on a continuous strip, web, or tape, the combination of a housing having two parallel sides, a partially open front end, a partially open rear end, and a planar, upwardly and rearwardly inclined top portion providing a work surface, a pair of rollers extending between the sides of the housing adjacent opposite ends of said work surface for supporting a length of tape intermediate its ends for selective longitudinal movement in either direction across said work surface, a pair of spools each having an end portion of said tape wound thereon and having a central shaft arranged axially thereof, in frictional engagement therewith, and extending beyond its ends, said shafts extending between opposite sides of the housing adjacent its ends, below said rollers, and having its end portions removably and rotatably connected, respectively, to the sides of the housing, an electric motor in the housing having speed reducing gears and having a shaft extending transversely thru one side of the housing intermediate its ends, drive means including clutch means for drivingly connecting "the motor shaft selectively to an end portion of one of the first mentioned shafts whereby said first mentioned shafts are adapted to be driven selectively to thereby move the tape across the work surface in either direction as the tape is wound and unwound on the spools, the spools each having a fixed end flange rigidly connected to an end portion of the corresponding shaft and a removable, adjustable end flange surrounding the spool and adjustable longitudinally relative thereto to adapt the spool for use with tapes of selected predetermined widths, and having a plurality of pairs of transverse grooves in its exterior surface, the grooves of each pair lying in a common plane, in parallel relation to each other, and spring tensioned means on said last mentioned end flange embracing the grooves of one pair in selective, yieldable engagement therewith.

8. The structure of claim 7, and a cam actuated clutch mechanism on one of the spools, between said first mentioned end flange and the adjacent end of the spool, for frictional engagement of the spool with the inner periphery of a preformed roll of tape loosely surrounding the spool, said cam actuated clutch mechanism being operable in response to torque applied to the corresponding first mentioned shaft in one direction only and consisting essentially of a pair of cam surfaces on opposite sides of said first mentioned shaft and a pair of cam follower elements each pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the spool and adapted to be urged outwardly in opposite directions in response to rotative movement of said shaft relative to the spool in one direction only.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 619,803 Succie Feb. 21, 1899 2,017,636 Smalley Oct. 15, 1935 2,859,656 Lemieux Nov. 11, 1958 2,886,256 Walsh May 12, 1959 3,017,132 Gnage et al. Jan. 16, 1962 3,095,157 Nichols June 25, 1963 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR USE IN SCANNING AND CHECKING SELECTED PORTIONS OF A CONTINUOUS RECORD IN ROLLED FROM IN WHICH STATISTICAL INFORMATION IS PRINTED ON A CONTINUOUS STRIP, WEB, OR TAPE, THE COMBINATION OF A HOUSING HAVING TWO PARALLEL SIDES, A PARTIALLY OPEN FRONT END, A PARTIALLY OPEN REAR END, AND A PLANAR, UPWARDLY AND REARWARDLY INCLINED TOP PORTION PROVIDING A WORK SURFACE, A PAIR OF ROLLERS EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SIDES OF THE HOUSING ADJACENT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID WORK SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING A LENGTH OF TAPE INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS FOR SELECTIVE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT IN EITHER DIRECTION ACROSS SAID WORK SURFACE, A PAIR OF SPOOLS EACH HAVING AN END PORTION OF SAID TAPE WOUND THEREON AND HAVING A CENTRAL SHAFT ARRANGED AXIALLY THEREOF, IN FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, AND EXTENDING BEYOND ITS ENDS, SAID SHAFTS EXTENDING BETWEEN OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE HOUSING ADJACENT ITS ENDS, BELOW SAID ROLLERS, AND HAVING THEIR END PORTIONS REMOVABLY AND ROTATABLY CONNECTED, RESPECTIVELY, TO THE SIDES OF THE HOUSING, AN ELECTRIC MOTOR IN THE HOUSING HAVING SPEED REDUCING GEARS AND HAVING A SHAFT EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THRU ONE SIDE OF THE HOUSING INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS, AND DRIVE MEANS INCLUDING CLUTCH MEANS FOR DRIVINGLY CONNECTING THE MOTOR SHAFT SELECTIVELY TO AN END PORTION OF ONE OF THE FIRST MENTIONED SHAFTS WHEREBY SAID FIRST MENTIONED SHAFTS ARE ADAPTED TO BE DRIVEN SELECTIVELY TO THEREBY MOVE THE TAPE ACROSS THE WORK SURFACE IN EITHER DIRECTION AS THE TAPE IS WOUND AND UNWOUND ON THE SPOOLS, THE SPOOLS EACH HAVING A FIXED END FLANGE RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO AN END PORTION OF THE CORRESPONDING SHAFT AND A REMOVABLE, ADJUSTABLE END FLANGE SURROUNDING THE SPOOL AND ADJUSTABLE LONGITUDINALLY RELATIVE THERETO TO ADAPT THE SPOOL FOR USE WITH TAPES OF SELECTED PREDETERMINED WIDTHS, AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF TRANSVERSE GROOVES IN ITS EXTERIOR SURFACE, THE GROOVES OF EACH PAIR LYING IN A COMMON PLANE, IN PARALLEL RELATION TO EACH OTHER, SPRING TENSIONED MEANS ON SAID LAST MENTIONED END FLANGE EMBRACING THE GROOVES OF ONE PAIR IN SELECTIVE, YIELDABLE ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, A CAM ACTUATED CLUTCH MECHANISM ON ONE OF THE SPOOLS, BETWEEN SAID FIRST MENTIONED END FLANGE AND THE ADJACENT END OF THE SPOOL, FOR FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT OF THE SPOOL WITH THE INNER PERIPHERY OF A PREFORMED ROLL OF TAPE LOOSELY SURROUNDING THE SPOOL, SAID CAM ACTUATED CLUTCH MECHANISM BEING OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO TORQUE APPLIED TO THE CORRESPONDING FIRST MENTIONED SHAFT IN ONE DIRECTION ONLY AND CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A PAIR OF CAM SURFACES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED SHAFT AND A PAIR OF CAM FOLLOWER ELEMENTS EACH PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE ADJACENT END OF THE SPOOL AND ADAPTED TO BE URGED OUTWARDLY IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS IN RESPONSE TO ROTATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID SHAFT RELATIVE TO THE SPOOL IN ONE DIRECTION ONLY, AND AN ELONGATED SPACER BAR ARRANGED ALONG ONE SIDE OF ONE OF THE SPOOLS FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INNER PERIPHERY OF A ROLL OF TAPE SURROUNDING THE SPOOL, DURING THE INITIAL ROLLING THEREOF, TO SPACE THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID ROLL APART FROM THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE SPOOL AND TO DETERMINE THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID ROLL, SAID SPACER BAR BEING REMOVABLY INSERTED IN A CORRESPONDING GROOVE IN THE SPOOL HAVING A DEPTH LESS THAN THE WIDTH OF THE SPACER BAR IN A RADIAL DIRECTION AND HAVING THE SIDE THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID GROOVE STRADDLED BY A CORRESPONDING NOTCH IN THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID LAST MENTIONED END FLANGE. 